Thousands of Oregon hospital patients may have been exposed to infectious diseases
Health care officials in Oregon say more than 2,400 patients in Portland-area hospitals may have been exposed to infectious diseases such as hepatitis B and C and HIV because of a doctor who failed to follow infection prevention guidelines.
PORTLAND, Oregon — Officials say more than 2,400 patients in hospitals around Portland, Oregon, may have been exposed to infectious diseases such as hepatitis B and C, as well as HIV, because an anesthesiologist failed to follow infection prevention measures.
Providence said in a statement Thursday that it is notifying approximately 2,200 people treated at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center in Oregon City and two patients treated at Providence Portland Medical Center that the doctor’s actions placed them at low risk for possible infections.
Officials are encouraging them to take a free blood test to screen for infection. If a patient tests positive, Providence “will reach out to discuss their test results and next steps,” Providence said.
The physician was employed by Oregon Anesthesiology Group and worked at its two Providence locations between 2017 and 2023.
The doctor also worked at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center in Gresham for six months, beginning in December 2023. Legacy Health said it sent letters to 221 patients who may have been affected, KGW-TV reported.
In a statement, Oregon Anesthesiology Group said the doctor has been fired. The doctor’s name was not released.
“When we learned the physician had violated infection control practices, we suspended him, notified our partners Legacy Health and Providence, and then launched an investigation that resulted in the physician’s termination,” the group said in its statement. “While the risk of infection was low, new protocols and procedures have been put in place to help prevent similar incidents in the future.”
The Oregon Health Authority said its investigation into the breach focused on a doctor who administered intravenous anesthesia and “implemented unacceptable infection control practices, putting patients at risk for infections.”
OHA is working with Legacy and Providence on “their investigations into violations of infection control practices.” So far, “neither OHA nor the hospitals are aware of any reports of illness related to this infection control violation,” the health authority said.